Lacing device.



J. & M. 'CARLSON.

' LACING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 16. 1916.

Patented Oct; 22, 1918.

jwue'nfoz c7 Uarlson MI 9 JOHN GARIISON AND MATTHIAS CARLSON, 0F MACE, IDAHO.

LACIN'G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918'.-

Application filed June 16, 1916. Serial No. 104,022.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN CARLsoN and MATTHIAS CARLsoN, subjects of the Czar of Russia, residingat Mace, in the county of Shoshone and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacing Devices; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in lacing devices for shoes, and has for its object to provide a device of this character embodying a roller supporting the shoe lace or string so as to reduce the resistance to the movement of the lace to the minimum.

Another object is the provision of a supporting frame for the friction reducing roller which may be inexpensively stamped from sheet metal and effectively anchored in plpsition on the flaps or meeting edges of the s oe.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a shoe, partly broken away, illustrating the improved lacing devices applied thereto,

Fig. 2 represents a perspective View of one of the lacing devices removed, and

Fig. 3 represents a perspective View of the modified type of the lacing device.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 indicates a-shoe having the opposed flaps or free edges 6 in which are anchored strips 7, constructed of relatively thin and narrow spring metal.

A row of lacing devices 8 is anchored in each flap 6 of the shoe by one of the anchoring strips 7 and each lacing device includes a frame 9 constructed entirely of a single piece of sheet metal, bent centrally to define a U-shaped member 10 in which is secured a pin 11, rotatably supporting a friction reducing roller 12 supporting the shoe lace or string 13. The inner end of the frame 9 is beveled or cutaway, as indicated at 14, to insure against the lace 13 coming in contact therewith and one side member of the U- shaped member 10 is ofiset, as indicated at 15, and extended substantially in line with the other side member of the U-shaped member. The last mentioned end of the U-shaped member, which is designated by the numeral 16, is turned back over the anchoring strip 7 as indicated at 17 to provide a closed loop which rigidly secures the lacing device thereto.

From the foregoing it is evident that the shoe lace 13 may be readily drawn over the rollers 12 to draw the edges or flaps 6 of the shoe together, while the spring strips 7 permit the shoe to freely curve to comfortably fit the foot and angle of the wearer.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 the numeral 18 indicates generally the lacing device constructed of a single piece of sheet metal and is bent centrally to define a U-shaped member 19, the web portion 20 of which is curved from end to end for engagement with the shoe lace 13. This type of lacing device is secured to anchoring strips 7 in the same manner as the lacing device 9 and is particularly designed for use in connection with low shoes on which only a comparatively few of the lacing devices are necessary to secure the shoe lace in position thereon.

What I claim is:

1. A lacing device comprising a frame including a substantially U-shaped lace-receiving member, a flexible anchoring strip, and a closed 'loop integrally connected with the U- shaped lace-receiving member rigidly securing the anchoring strip to the frame.

2. A lacing device comprising a frame including a substantially U-shaped lace-receiving member, a flexible anchoring strip, and a closed loop connected with one of the sides of the U-shaped member rigidly securing the frame to the anchoring strip.

3. A lacing device comprising a frame ineluding a substantially U-shaped lace-receiv In testimony whereof we affix our Sign ing member having portions of the web and tures in presence of two witnesses. side members cutaway, a roller journalecl be- JOHN OARLSON 5 frame, a flexible anchoring strip, and a closed loop integrally connected with the U- WVitnesses; Y shaped member receiving and securing the JOHN OMAN, anchoring strip. w v OSCAR OARLSON.

tween the side members of the U-shaped M ATTHI AS CARLSON Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

